Wrench



Dec. 8, 1925. 1,564,411

J. H. FoNl-:s

WRENCH Filed oct. e, 1924 .fb-WA V/vw l l I "19,6

wrrNassEs u INVENroR j To all whom t may concern Patentedl Dec. 8, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.N

JOI-IN I-I. FONS, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

WRENCH.

Application led October 6, 1924. Serial No. 742,022.

tachment.

improved mounting An object of the invention is to provide for the adjusting worm which ensures proper vengagement of the worm with the rack bar of the wrench but which enables a quick release of the worm from the rack bar when a quick adjustment is desired.

This invention has specifically to do with the mounting of theworm for adjusting the rack and requires a longitudinal as well as a lateral movement of lthe worm to release it flrominterlocking engagement with .the rac{ Vith these and other objects lin view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts which will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a view in elevation, partly in section, illustrating my limproved wrench;

Fig. 2 is a view in transverse section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a view in transverse section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

1 and 2 represent the aws of the wrench. The jaw 1 is formed integral with the shank 3 which is provided on one edge with teeth 7. The jaw 2 is preferably an integral part of a sleeve 4 mounted to slide on the rack bar so as to permit adjustment of the jaws relative to each other. The sleeve 4 is made with a cut-out portion 5 to accommodate a worm 6 which is normally in mesh with the teeth 7 of rack bar 3. This worm 6 is hollow or of tubular form and mounted to turn upon a rod 8, the ends of the rod being mounted in longitudinal recesses or bores 9 and 10 in the respective end walls of the cut-out portion 5. This rod Sis of general cylindrical form with the end portions thereof recessed or cut away so.

that the extremities of the rod vin the respective recesses 9 and 10 are semicylindrical in form or less than a semicircle so as toy allow the rod to move laterally.

To hold the rod 8I inf normal position coil springs 10 are located in the'recesses and preferably seated in sockets 11 in the kvrod.v

This rod 8 is secured inoperative position and held against longitudinal movement -fby means of a pin 12 which is projected' through a portion of the sleeve and through the rod, as indicated clearly in Figure 1. It is to be understood, however, that this pin 12 permits a lateral movement of the rod 8 as will more fully hereinafter appear.

To facilitate the assemblage of parts, I preferably provide a plug 23 closing an opening 24 in the sleeve 4, through which opening the'spring 10 can be inserted or removed. .This plug 23 I fix by vmeans of a cross pin 25 projected -throughthe metal of the jaw.` p. Y l

The cutout portionv 5 of the sleeve 4 is appreciably longer than the worm 6 so-tha't the latter is permitted a longitudinal movement on the rod 8. One end. of this worm 6 is made with a circularenlargement 13 whichiits in a curved recess, 14 in one end wall of the cutout portion 5, and a coil spring 15 is located around thek rod 8, the

worm 6 andthe other end of thecutout portion 5 to hold the enlargement 13 normally in the recess 14 and thus prevent any accidental lateral movement of the worm. j

- The parts are positioned as above described for normal operation and when' it is ldesired to quickly adjustmthe wrench it is necessary firstto grasp the worm Gand then exertpressure on the, jaw 2, forcing the same toward the jaw 1. As the worm 6 and the rack-bar 3 are locked together by reason of their engagement, the sleeve 4, as a whole, will be moved toward the jaw 1 a distance sufficient to release the worm from its'interlocking engagement with the forward wall of the cutout portion 5, and when in this position the worm and the rod 8 supporting the same can bemoved laterally to disengage the worm from the rack teeth 7 and allow the jaws to be quickly adjusted. When the worm is released the springs 15 and 10 will return the worm to its normal position in engagement with the rack bar.

In order to change the wrench from an ordinary bolt yhead' or nut wrench' into a pipe wrench, I employ a removable block 16 which fits against the jaw 1 and against the edge of rack bar 3 and is provided with an inclined series of beveled teeth 17. This block carries a dowel pin 18 which projects into a recess 19 in the jaw 1 and is also provided with a springlpressed plate 20 adapted to straddle the edge of the rack bar' and' te holdv thev block against lateral movementl VVhen'this block l'is`vv not desired'I for' use it may be inserted receptacle 21 in oneend of'V the' bar 3 and held by'a removable cap 22.v

Variousslight changes and alterations might be made inthe general form ofthe' parts'described without departing from myf invention, and hence I dov not limit myself tothe; precise details setl forth but consider myself at liberty to make such slight changes and: alterations as' fairly fall within the spiritv andscope of the appended'claims.

I claim: 1. A wrench, comprising a pair of jaws, a rack-bar iX'ed toone jaw, a sleeve carrying the other jaw and receiving the rack-bar, said sleeve having a cutout portion therein and having longitudinalv recesses in the end walls ofthe'fc'utout portion, a' wornrin' thev cutout portion'n'ormally engaging therackbar, a rod projecting through the worm,- mounted in the recesses" and having lateral movement in therecesses, yspringsE in the rel cesses engaging both ends' of VVthe'rod. andholding: the worm in normal engagement with the rack-bar, said worm having interlocking engagement with one wall of the cutout portion, whereby longitudinal as well as lateral movement of the worm is required to release it from engagement with the rack andL a spring normally pressing said worm into its interlocking position. l 2. A wrench comprising aL pair of jaws', a rack-bar fixed to one jaw, a sleeve carrying the other' jaw and receiving the rack-bar, said sleeve having a cutout portion therein and having longitudinal-recesses intheend Walls of the cutout portion, a worm' inthe cutout portion normally engaging' the rack! worm against lateral' movement, anda spring exerting. longitudinal pressure on thewvorin and normally holding said enlargement in the recess:

3. A' Wrench comprising' a pair o'fjaws,-

a'rackbar fix'ed'to one jaw, asleeve' carrying theother jaw and receiving the'rack'bar,-

said sleeve having a cutout' portion, al rod mounted in' the' sleeve and extending across the cutout portion, said rod capableY or lateral movement, elastic means holdingitherod against lateral movement, a pinprojecting through the rod' and' mounted in the sleeve and holding the rod against longi' tudinal movement, a worm on the rod engaging the vteeth of the rack, a spring exert-l ing-pressure on the worm, and interlocking means between one end of the wormand one wall of the cutout portion whereby longitudinal aswell aslater'al movement of the wormvis-r'equired to release it" from en' gagement with the rack;

4; A wrench comprising a pair ojaws; a' r'ackxed to one'jaw, -a memberl mounted to slide on the rack, a jaw on said last-mentioned member, a" worm? carried by' the said member and normally engaging the rack, said' worm having an annular integral enL largement at one end, said member having a recess receiving' said enlargement and holding the worm against lateral' displacement, a spring engaging the end of' the worm and holding its enlargement in the recess, and meansV permitting the lateral movement of the worm away from tliera'ck when the'wcrm is moved longitudinally to remove its enlargement fromthe' recess in the member'.

JOHN Forms. 

